Gov. Malloy announced that he will allocate $500,000 in additional funding to increase the training resources and supplies for students in the Connecticut Technical High School System (CTHSS). He is also proposing legislation that will tailor programming to the needs of employers, so that students are better prepared for real-world employment when they graduate. The plan will set high standards for students and for the schools, and would be benchmarked against national and global models in the area of vocational and technical training. The Governor will ask the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Board of Regents, Department of Labor and Department of Economic and Community Development to lead the process.
“Turning the corner on decades of economic decline means we have to prepare our students for a successful future in the high-tech workforce and we have to create the skilled labor that Connecticut companies need to compete globally,” said Governor Malloy. “When these reforms are in place, we will position our technical high school system to offer programs that are relevant for the high-tech jobs of today and tomorrow.”
“If we want to stop our students, our children, from leaving Connecticut, we have to give them a reason to stay here,” said Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman. “This proposal is another way we can do that – by preparing students for careers in emerging fields like precision manufacturing, bioscience and fuel cells and ensuring that their skills are directly matched with the needs of our businesses.”
The changes announced today stem from the January recommendations of the Connecticut Technical High School System Task Force. In addition to the new programming, the Governor is also proposing changing the governance of the CTHSS to an independent, 11-member board.
This moves the 20-school system to the purview of a board dedicated solely to its operations and removes oversight from the State Board of Education.
"We are pleased the Governor has changed his position on moving the system to local districts," said Sharon Palmer, president of AFT Connecticut. "These school already produce skilled tradespeople with certification and training that is second to none. The additional funding will help ensure these schools continue that work."
In a report issued January 10, 2012, the Connecticut Technical High School System Task Force recommended:
Continuing state operations of the CTHSS;
Requiring the state Department of Education to develop CTHSS’s strategic plan in conjunction with the Departments of Labor, Economic and Community Development, Higher Education, and specific business and industry consortiums;
Establishing a separate CTHSS board to set standards to which the superintendent of the CTHSS would be accountable; and
Benchmarking standards against international leaders.
AFT CT (American Federation of Teachers Connecticut) is committed to improving the quality of education for every child in the state. Education reform issues like teacher tenure, teacher certification, teacher evaluations, early childhood education, charter schools, school funding and more need input from all educators. PreK-12 teachers, paraprofessionals and school related personnel are working every day to improve learning and help students to grow. From urban schools in Connecticut, such as Hartford, New Britain, New Haven and Meriden, to suburban schools, such as, Bloomfield, Simsbury and Waterford, to regional school districts, our members are working to provide quality education.
